Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-08-17
FUND.- IN CHANCERY.
The Will o. tho Wisp Which BefooIs
the "American Heir"

Irregularly at first, and now at inter
walls of three years, there is published
list of funds under accounts which
have not been touched Except to ad
or invest dividendsl for fifteen years be-
fore the publication of the list. This
publication Is one of ball fact, but it
embodIes much of romance and quaint
ness. 1t is issued in the form OF q sup
plement and the latest one occupies 13S
pages 1t records simply the titles of
the account, - the year IN which it was
opened, and the ''dats and value of
last transaction" For instance, here
Is q brief record, not without its inter-
est: "Black versus Straphan, 1749
10th August, 1773. Payment out" But
that short record tells tho story of a
case in chancery, begun In 1749. when
money was there placed in custody.
Twenty-four years later there was q
payment" out of the account, but a
remnant was left which in all these
years has been untouched, except by
the addition of interest. Black and
Straphan have passed away, after the
legal struggle, but there the money
whatever its amount-waits for a
proper claimant. Another entry is as
brief and more pathetic: MARY KING,
4 lunatic, 1742, Not dealt with" Poor
Mary has passed away from her lease. 3"
alike of interest to the medical and le-
gal professions, but the account opened
145 years ago has remained untouched
in the safe grasp of the court which
Dickens terribly satiriZed. There Is al
entry sex parte the unknown person or
persons interested In the freehold es-
tate'' known as mos. 10, 90 and 81 in
the Great Bell alley, and No. IA In
Whites alley, in the city of London. +"
IN 1885, the account was opened, and
1t has since been mot dealt with"
Thirty-dve years ago one Susannah
Bloss left legacy ''to be given TO Eliza
Smith," but from the absence of the
legatee or other causes, an account was
opened in chancery, and the account
has not been dealt with since. And, as
final instance, let us quote that of
Conway versus Lord Conway. on ac-
count of the personal estate of Francis,
Lord Conway, deceased. 174i, 81 Aug =,
1852. Payment out.
Thus, arising out Of the insanity, the
absence, the minority of persons, the
want of proof as to the legal recipient,
and allied causes. large sums accumu-
late. Public companies aud public
needs cause other aggregatiOns. Great
railway companies. for public purposes,
need land or buildings, and in default
OF owners having power to sell. they pay
the sum into chancery, where it re-
mains until there is proved right to re-
ceive share of it, or the total sum.
And thus the Ing list Is fed by the
changing circumstances of humanity;
and death, removal, and Ignorance of
bequests, brings at tunes some Of the
accounts within range of those (which
has not been dealt with otherwise than
by the continuous Investment, or plac-
ing on deposit of dividends during the
fifteen years Immediately preceding the
publication OF the list" It has its sad
aspect, has that list. 1t speaks, II not
In Shelley's words Of "fraud- accumula-
ted gold" yet Of amounts kept from
the heirs, of beQuests that cannot be
given TO those for whom they are
meant because OF mental lncapacity, or
other inability TO acquire what was de
vised to them; II points TO the litiga-
ton for centuries; It speaks of wealth
waiting to fructify in the hands of un-
known owners; all tine poorer for their
ignorance; and it tells of the countless
thousands that, for want or owners.
are thrown by the incidents OF life and
time into the care OF that much abused
court.